Eight Current & Former P-Nats Headed to 2019 Arizona Fall League

Three Current P-Nats and Five Former P-Nats to play for Surprise Saguaros

By Potomac Nationals | September 1, 2019 4:37 PM

Woodbridge, VA---A large collection of current and former Potomac Nationals will represent the Washington Nationals in the Arizona Fall League, which is set to begin on September 18th. In sum, eight current or former members of The Red, White, & Blue are set to play for the Surprise Saguaros. Current P-Nats on the Surprise roster include C Jakson Reetz, INF/OF Cole Freeman, and LHP Nick Raquet. Former P-Nats with a ticket to the AFL include RHP Sterling Sharp, RHP Andrew Lee, RHP Jacob Condra-Bogan, SS Luis Garcia, and OF Nick Banks.

Reetz, named a 2019 Carolina League Mid-Season All-Star, is wrapping up his second full season with Potomac. Named as the starting catcher for the Northern Division in the Mid-Season Carolina League All-Star Game, Reetz has been on an offensive tear throughout the second half of the season. The 23-year-old hit only one home run and drove in 17 runs prior to the All-Star Game but has been one of the top offensive players in the Carolina League in the second half. Through 50 games since the All-Star Game, Reetz has hit .282 with 12 home runs and 38 RBIs. Entering the final two games of the 2019 regular season, Reetz has posted a .253 batting average with 13 home runs and 55 RBIs for the P-Nats.

A Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star, Freeman spent the first half of the season as Potomac's starting second baseman, and the second half of the campaign as the starting centerfielder. In his first year with Potomac, Washington's fourth round pick in the 2017 MLB Draft has been one of the most consistent hitters in the Carolina League. Heading into the final pair of games on the 2019 regular season slate, Freeman is second in the Carolina League in BA (.311), first in runs scored (82), second in stolen bases (31), second in OBP (.394), and first in hits (141). Currently the 26th ranked prospect in the Nationals' system according to MLB.com, Freeman is set for his first trip to the AFL.

The only current Potomac pitcher headed to the AFL, Raquet has been dominant over the final stretch of the season for the P-Nats. In his second season with Potomac, the left-handed starter had a stretch from 7/14-8/14 where he recorded six consecutive quality starts. Over that stretch, Raquet went 5-0 with a 2.08 ERA. Scheduled to pitch for Potomac in the penultimate regular season game of 2019, Raquet has gone 10-9 with a 4.27 ERA over his 24 with the P-Nats this season. MLB.com ranks the lefty as the 29th best prospect in Washington's farm system.

Sharp is one of three former Potomac pitchers that will head to the AFL come mid-September. A member of both the 2017 and 2018 P-Nats, the right-handed starter has battled injuries through much of his 2019 campaign. Sharp started the season with Double-A Harrisburg but made just nine starts before he hit the injured list. Over that stretch, the right-handed starter went 5-3 with a 3.99 ERA. Sharp has made three rehab outings over the past two weeks, one with the GCL Nationals and two with the Short-Season Auburn Doubledays. Currently the 13th ranked prospect in the Nationals' system according to MLB.com, the right-handed starter posted a 3.14 ERA over 14 starts with Potomac in 2018.

The second of three former Potomac right-handed pitchers headed to the AFL, Lee started the 2019 campaign with Potomac before a promotion to Double-A Harrisburg. Splitting time between the rotation and bullpen, the righty went 2-5 with a 3.45 ERA in 16 appearances, 11 starts, for Potomac. With the Senators, Lee has gone 0-1 with a 2.61 ERA in 10 appearances, four starts. An 11th round pick out of the University of Tennessee in 2015, Lee has 286 strikeouts in 267.2 professional innings.

Condra-Bogan rounds out the trio of former Potomac pitchers headed to play for Surprise. Acquired by Washington on 7/22/18 for LF Brian Goodwin, Condra-Bogan made 11 relief outings for Potomac in 2018. Over that stretch, the right-handed reliever went 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA. In 37 appearances for Harrisburg in 2019, the 2017 Toronto Blue Jays 32nd round draft pick has gone 7-4 with a 3.67 ERA.

The top ranked Nationals' prospect headed to the AFL, Garcia sits as the second best prospect in the system according to MLB.com. The 19-year-old shortstop has played each of the last two seasons as either the youngest player in the league or just about such. As the youngest player in the Carolina League in 2018, Garcia hit .299 with four home runs and 23 RBIs in 49 games for Potomac. Signed by the Nationals as an IFA in 2016, Garcia played in the Futures Game during the 2018 season and got the advanced placement at Double-A to begin 2019. With the Senators, Garcia has hit .259 with four home runs and 30 RBIs in 127 games this season. 2019 will make the first trip to the AFL for the highly touted shortstop prospect.

Rounding out the eight-man crew of former P-Nats headed to the Arizona Fall League, Banks began 2019 as the leadoff hitter and starting centerfielder for Potomac. The 24-year-old got off to an ice-cold start with the P-Nats, as he hit just .127 (7-55) over his first 16 games. Though after that stretch, Banks tore up Carolina League pitching over his next 53 games with eight home runs, 29 RBIs, and a .307 batting average. In sum, Banks hit .271 with 30 extra base hits and 35 RBIs in 69 games in his second partial season with the P-Nats. With Harrisburg, the Texas A&M draft pick has hit .294 with 15 extra base hits in 44 games.

The 2019 Arizona Fall League is set to get underway on Wednesday, September 18th, and will run through the championship game, which is scheduled for Saturday, October 26th.

For more information on 2019 Potomac Nationals single game tickets, please contact Director of Season Ticket and Group Ticket Sales, Alec Manriquez, by phone at 703-590-2311, ext. 221, or via e-mail at amanriquez@potomacnationals.com. Fans with questions may also contact Potomac Nationals' Ticket Operations Manager, Matt LeBlanc, by phone at 703-590-2311, ext. 225, or via e-mail at mleblanc@potomacnationals.com.

P-Nats' 2019 ticket plans and group outings are currently available for purchase. For more information, or to purchase any of these plans, contact Potomac Nationals Director of Season Ticket and Group Ticket Sales, Alec Manriquez, by phone at 703-590-2311, ext. 221, or via e-mail at amanriquez@potomacnationals.com.

The Potomac Nationalsof the Carolina League play at Northwest Federal Field at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Virginia, and are the Carolina League affiliate of the Washington Nationals. The Potomac Nationals have claimed five Carolina League Championship titles (1982, 1989, 2008, 2010, and 2014) and 10 CL Northern Division Championships. Sponsorship opportunities for the P-Nats' 2019 season and beyond are available, as well as all-inclusive corporate picnic outings to watch the future stars of the Washington Nationals at The Pfitz. 2019 Potomac Nationals season tickets are now on sale, while mini plans will be available soon. For more information on Potomac Nationals 2019 season tickets, mini plans, group outings, picnic packages, fundraisers, and all things Red, White, and Blue, visit the P-Nats online at www.potomacnationals.com, follow the P-Nats on Facebook (@PotomacNationals), Twitter (@PNats42), and Instagram (@pnats42), or call the Potomac Nationals' Extreme Custom Collision Ticket Office at 703-590-2311.

Fredericksburg Baseball is set to begin Carolina League play in 2020 at a brand new, state of the art stadium facility, located at Celebrate Virginia South on Carl D. Silver Parkway near the Fredericksburg Expo & Convention Center in Fredericksburg, VA. Celebrate baseball in The 'Burg and stay up to date with the progress of the new ballpark facility and the team online at www.fredericksburgbaseball.com, and follow Fredericksburg Baseball on Facebook (@FredericksburgBaseball), on Twitter (@FXBGBaseball20), and on Instagram (@fredericksburgbaseball).

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